EU To Keep Close Eye On Natural Gas Industry

Law360, New York (May 17, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT) -- A top European Union competition official vowed Wednesday that the European Commission would stay focused on unbundling the natural gas industry, and would keep a closer watch on contracts for new infrastructure.

Herbert Ungerer, a director at the European Commission’s competition arm, reiterated the regulatory agency’s goal to liberalize the natural gas market and protect consumers from cartels at a gas conference in Oslo.

Ungerer said that though the Commission had approved a number of exemptions for third party access rules, it would be more careful...